by K. A Knight
Feeling better and truly exhausted, my body giving in at this point, I curl up on the dirty, smelly mattress and soon my eyes are closed, only feeling safe enough to do so because I know Keanu is so close by.
“Nadia,” comes a shaky whisper. I jerk awake instantly, my eyes shooting open as I get to my knees and look around in confusion.
Lea is standing in the middle of the room with Alisha, both of them staring at me with fear. I follow their eyes to see Sarah held in Razor’s grip. Shit! I leap to my feet, looking around for Keanu, but he’s not there. Fuck, where is he? Maybe he went to sleep?
Razor is grinning down at the terrified young girl who’s crying, sobbing, and trying to tug her arm away, her skin pale. I can’t let him take her again, not after what he did to her. I don’t know if she would survive it. I step up next to the other women and stare at him as a shadow falls over the door, and my shoulders loosen when I spot Keanu.
“Razor?” he calls, stepping into the room.
The man in question looks at Keanu. “Newbie, what did I tell you about leaving your post?”
Keanu narrows his eyes slightly. “I was having a piss.” I know it’s a lie. What was he up to? Either way, we’re fucked right now. How the hell do I get Sarah free? She looks like she’s about to faint. She’s given up fighting, too tired and weak. She looks at me then, her eyes helpless and mouth slack, but God that look will haunt me forever.
So much pain...and acceptance.
No.
Razor laughs and starts to pull her away. “Taking this one for some fun.”
“Take me instead,” I yell, and he turns, smiling at me. “You don’t want her, play with me.”
He grins then, he knew I would volunteer, he’s smarter than he looks. Fuck, he planned this, waiting until Keanu left, and now I’m going to be at his mercy. I can feel Keanu almost breaking, his hands balled into fists, but I subtly wave him away. I won’t sit idly by as he hits a young girl. He wants someone to fight? I’ll fight the ever loving shit out of him. He isn’t touching her again, I keep my promises, even if it breaks the heart of the man I love and spikes fear through me.
I step forward again, grinning at Razor. “You think you’re such a big, tough guy? Picking the youngest and smallest girl and hurting her? Is that the only way you can get hard?” I taunt.
His hand tightens on her for a moment and I worry I’ve gone too far before he shoves her away and stalks towards me. I pass her to Alisha and wait for him. He gets into my face, his eyes cold. “You want to play, little bitch? We’ll play,” he snarls, his hand snapping out and he grips my hair, wrapping it around his fist as he yanks me from the room. I kick and scream, my feet dragging on the cement, my top coming up so my stomach flashes. The pain from his grip is making me fight harder, but when I see how much it’s breaking Keanu, I stop.
He’s hurting, his eyes hard and filled with cold...he’s going to kill him. I can’t let him, it will blow everything, and we can’t lose what we have now, we are so close. I shake my head at him, and he grips the door tighter, watching as I’m yanked down the corridor and into the bathrooms, the door slamming shut behind me. I wince, tears forming in my eyes as I feel the hair ripped from my scalp from his rough treatment.
He throws me and I landed on the hard, tiled floor and roll, grunting when I smack straight into one of the stalls, my already aching ribs screaming at me in protest. I don’t have time to get up before he’s on me. I can almost feel Keanu fighting himself to come in here. I know if I don’t end this or get out of this situation, he’ll storm in here and kill Razor, without a doubt. Then we will blow our whole cover and we’ll be back to square one. I can’t let that happen.
Not with Alena still out there.
He lifts me with a hand around my neck and slams me back into the side of the cubicle, my feet kicking and barely touching the floor. His arm bulges as he sneers at me. His other hand darts out and rips down my shirt, exposing my breasts. I freeze for a moment as mortification tears through me, followed by fear at the stark hunger on his face as he looks at them.
Get it together, Nadia!
I snap, and using his distraction, I punch straight at his face, aiming for his nose. He howls and falls back, dropping me to the floor where I crumple before jumping to my feet and righting my shirt, spotting him pinching his bleeding nose as he glares at me.
“You fucking cock tease, you will pay for that,” he growls.
“Come get it, you small cocked bastard!” I taunt, waving my hands at him in a come here gesture.
He starts towards me, nose forgotten, anger and lust guiding him. He likes it when girls fight back, they said that. Well, he’s going to love the fuck out of this, because he isn’t getting me. Never. I already belong to someone else, and he’s a jealous asshole with murdering tendencies.
I hear boots coming towards the door and I know it’s Keanu, so I duck under Razor’s outstretched hands and laugh. “That’s all you got? You want to spar, big guy?” I say loudly, and the boots hesitate outside. Good, stay there, just for a minute.
I duck and weave between his punches and grabs, but my heel gets caught on a loose tile and I go down, smacking my head into the floor and groaning as my vision blurs for a moment. He presses down on me, his hands going to my throat, cutting off my breathing as he grins down at me, his blood staining his nose, lips, and teeth.
Fuck this.
I bring my arms up and break his grip, thanking Keanu in my head for teaching me that move, and then I roll sideways and get to my feet, ripping off my heel. I throw one like a weapon and it smacks into the side of his head as he lumbers to his feet. Holding the other one in front of me, I grin at him.
“Touch me, I dare you. I’ll stab you right in your bite-sized cock,” I sneer.
“Fine, you want to be like this?” He grins and the door slams shut as he leaves.
I stare in shock, slumping against the wall, the heel still in my hand, but all too soon it opens again, and this time he throws Alisha inside. He shuts the door, pulling her in front of him as her panicked eyes meet mine.
She thrashes in his grasp, looking at me with worry. “Nadia?” she asks, gazing around before he covers her mouth with his hand.
“Either you lie back like a good little slut and take it, or this bitch dies,” he taunts.
Standing tall, I tilt my head back. “You won’t kill her, you need her. She’s goods, remember? Or are you that stupid?” I laugh.
Alisha’s eyes are huge now, tears dripping from them as she sags in his grasp, realising he’s too big to fight. He pulls a gun from his back and presses it to her head, holding it there as she freezes, colour draining from her face.
He wouldn’t, would he?
Licking my lips, I glance between the gun and her. “He won’t do it, he’s trying to scare us, it’s the only way he can get in our pants when we fight back.”
She inclines her head slightly before wincing when he digs it in deeper. “Fine, have it your way, one dead whore is nothing to me.” Then he pulls the trigger.
The shot is deafening, and my lungs scream as I stop breathing, my heart stopping also as I watch her body crumble to the floor, broken, like a puppet with its strings cut. I can’t hear anything, my ears are ringing with a scream. My eyes lock onto the blood starting to pool beneath her and ooze across the tiled floor towards me, accusingly.
Oh, that’s me screaming, I think numbly.
I look up slowly to see him grinning at me, he’s enjoying my pain. He doesn’t care. He just ended a life, snuffed her out like she was nothing and left her on the floor like she’s rubbish. The door smashes inwards and Keanu there. He stares from her body to mine, relief crossing his face before he masks it.
“Take her back to the cell, let her think over what her smart mouth cost her,” Razor orders. I hear it as if from miles away, my eyes going back to Alisha.
S-She was going to help train me, she has a brother to look after. A whole life...just gone.
&nbs
p; Keanu nods, crossing the space, his eyes screaming at me with a million questions as he looks over my body for any wounds, but I can’t answer him, my mouth glued together. If I opened it again, I would scream and never stop.
He grabs me gently and, keeping himself between me and Razor, leads me away. I must miss something, because suddenly I’m in the cell with Keanu standing in front of me. He straightens abruptly, his mouth snapping shut, and I look behind him to see Razor, and then I blink again and they are both gone.
The silence is heart-wrenching, so silent, so empty...so cold.
I am numb, so very numb.
Sarah sobs into my shoulder as Lea rages at the door.
She’d dead because of me.
I can’t protect them. I can’t save any of them.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Keanu
He leaves them alone for the next two days, and in those days, I see my girl withering. The other girl’s death has thrown her, her eyes red-rimmed and so filled with pain, I can hardly stand it. She doesn’t fight, doesn’t try to escape, barely even looks at me.
I can’t take it anymore. Abandoning my post, I shut the cell door behind me, making the blonde and the other girl jump. They all leap to their feet, standing next to Nadia who meets my eyes warily.
“Is it time?” Lea questions, and I frown at her. “For us to escape? We have to get out of here before they kill us all…” She trails off. “It’s not, is it?”
“Not yet,” I tell her, “but I won’t let them hurt or kill another, I promise.”
“You can’t promise that, you couldn’t save Alisha and you can’t save us. No one can.” Lea snorts bitterly and turns away, wiping at her eyes, trying to hide her fear behind anger.
“Brat,” I start, looking at Nadia. She meets my gaze and I don’t care if I shouldn’t, I race across the room. She meets me halfway there as I grab her into my arms and pull her to me, kissing her softly. “Shush, it’s okay, it wasn’t your fault. I’m so sorry, baby, so sorry,” I murmur as I pull back, searching her eyes. “I need you back, okay? I can’t do this without you, partners, remember? Come on, Brat, where’s the girl who faced me down? Who pissed off a seller, who laughed in the face of danger? Who ran through a hail of bullets to shoot a man coming after me?” I whisper, gripping her cheeks. I ignore everyone else but her. “Come back, baby, I want my girl who tortures men who hurt women, I need her strength, her mind. You better get your ass back here, because I’m not done with you, not yet, not ever.”
She licks her lips, a small fire starting in those eyes. “That’s it, baby, come back. Who will annoy me if you don’t? Who will force me to wear stupid Christmas jumpers and hats? Force me to realise I have a family, that I have friends, people to fight and care for? I want that girl, the one who looked into death’s eyes and laughed, who tamed the Spider,” I finish and she smiles.
“Knew you liked me, Spidey,” she croaks, and I have never been so relieved. I yank her into my arms, kissing her with everything in me, showing her how fucking terrified I was that I had lost her, and she returns it. Her lips slow and fumbling at first, almost numb, but soon she’s meeting me thrust for thrust, sucking on my tongue, biting on my lips until we both pull back panting.
“There you are, Brat, don’t leave me again,” I order harshly.
“Or what, Spidey? We already established I like your punishments,” she teases and then blinks. “I’m sorry,” she whispers quietly. “I thought I could do this, that I was so smart, so fucking strong, but I was so stupid thinking I could take on these men.”
“No you weren’t, baby, you are the strongest fucking person I’ve ever met. Whatever you set your mind to, you can do it. We can, Brat, we can do this. We will make them pay for it all, every woman they ever hurt. We will carve it into their skin before we kill them, you and me. Always you and me.”
She nods again, leaning into my touch, and I kiss her softly. “I need to get back, stay strong, okay? We are so close.”
“Sure thing, Spidey, make sure to sleep, okay? You look like shit,” she comments, making me laugh as I drop another kiss on her forehead, unable to help myself.
“You’re cute when you try and order me around, Brat,” I tease as I step back, our fingers still touching, even as I keep walking backwards until that touch breaks. If she only knew, I would do anything she asks, I’m wrapped around her little fucking finger and I don’t care. I’m almost waiting for her to ask me to get her out of here, I would, no matter what it cost, but she doesn’t because she’s a fighter, she’s too strong.
I wonder what that strength will cost her.
I would take it all. They can have my soul, I don’t care, but I don’t want her losing pieces of hers like I have. She has my heart, I have nothing else left to give...
She’s right, I need to sleep. My eyes are almost shutting even as I dig my nails into my palm to stay awake. I don’t want to leave her, not after what happened, but I’m useless like this, and soon they are going to ask why I never sleep. They already seem weird about me, that act with her upstairs gained me some respect though, and they all think I’m a sick fuck that likes to hurt women. That I get off on it.
I hesitate. What if he comes after her again?
The man from before, the cook, heads my way with the trays and I have an idea. “What’s your name?” I ask when he gets closer, and his head jerks up, looking around before answering.
“Redmond,” he offers worriedly.
“That’s your girl?” I question, jerking my head inside, and his eyes go wide as he starts to stutter. “I don’t care, I won’t tell, but can you take over watch for a few hours?” I lower my voice then, knowing I’m trusting this man. “I don’t trust them without someone here, if you get my drift.”
He nods, standing up taller, puffing out his chest. “No one will touch them.”
I clap him on the back. “Good, give me one second.” I stick my head around the door and wink at my girl who is cuddling the other girls to her like a mother would. “Goodnight, Brat, I’m going to get a few hours, behave.”
She grins at me, not as strong as normal, but it’s a start, even if her eyes are haunted. “Love you, Spidey,” she whispers as I shut the door.
I love you too, Brat.
I head back through the warehouse and make some small talk with a few of the other guys, before heading to the bunks upstairs and collapsing on the back one. My training kicks in, and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m asleep, my girl’s scream echoing in my head, turning into nightmares of what I could have found when I wrenched open the bathroom door. Her eyes unblinking, dead, it’s her on the floor, not that other girl.
Something wakes me, I don’t know what, but I’ve learned to trust my senses. I get to my feet and stretch out, heading back downstairs to find the day guards there, watching TV and eating at the metal table. I head their way with a nod before starting to walk past them.
“Least your job’s easier now that the new fighter girl Razor almost killed is gone.” One laughs and the other nudges him with an elbow, grinning at me.
“Nah, he liked that one, wanted to break her, isn’t that right, man?” He snickers and I freeze.
Turning on my heel, I head their way, stalking them, each step filled with fear and a knowing...something’s wrong.
“Where’s the fighter?” I demand, frowning, trying to mask the intense panic I feel as I uselessly search for her. What did they mean gone?
“Oh, boss man came by, he wanted her for something, we have a new shipment tonight though, so you can play with one of them.” He laughs.
Boss man?
She’s gone, where?
Fury fills me as my fists tighten. I stare down at his laughing face and want to smash it in. So I do.
Enough games, it’s time.
First things first, they all die, then I get my girl back. God help anyone if they laid even one hand on her...
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nadia
They drugged me, the fucking bastards. I didn’t even think twice about drinking. I couldn’t eat the meal they brought in, my stomach still rebelling, flashes of Alisha’s face in my mind when I tried, so instead I had sipped the water, trying to keep up my strength.
It was fucking drugged.
I know Keanu must be freaking out right about now, but I can’t worry about him at the moment, no, I need to worry about myself.
I woke up on a plush bed, the bedding silk and oh so soft. I wasn’t tied up or anything to the big four-poster. I slipped off on shaky, tentative feet, my head still feeling cotton woolly from whatever drugs they pumped me with. I check over my body to find no new wounds and my clothes are still in place. That’s good at least. I have my GPS chips as well, also good.
My feet sink into the plush, thick, shag rug next to the bed as I look around at the huge, rich bedroom I’m in. I rush to the window, almost falling, and I have to grip the bed and breathe through the dizzy spell before I push away and reach the glass. It’s dark out so I can’t see much. I try the latch, but it’s locked. Shit, of course it is. Turning back to the bedroom, I track my eyes around the space.
There’s a roaring fire with a massive mantle and an expensive looking painting above it, and another rug in front of it. A huge, old wooden wardrobe is pushed next to a door, and matching bedside tables frame the massive bed. A diamond chandelier hangs above, providing dimmed lighting. The ceiling is high and covered in crown moulding. Everything screams money.
So very different from my cell. Where am I?
I don’t try the door yet, I’m betting it’s locked, and if it’s not I want to at least try to find a weapon first, so I open the wardrobe to see lots of suits and shoes, nothing else. Groaning, I slam it shut and head to the bedside table on the left, sitting on the bed as my head spins. Opening the top drawer, all I see are some candles, a match, and what looks like a charging cord.